In 1994, Garth Brooks opened up to Playboy about one of his biggest hits at that time, “The Dance.” Speaking of its significance, he said, “Unless I am totally surprised, ‘The Dance’ will be the greatest success as a song we will ever do. I’ll go to my grave with ‘The Dance.’”
Over 20 years later, and “The Dance” is still considered to be Brooks’ signature song. After all of this time, the song continues to evoke strong emotions whenever it plays on the radio or Brooks performs it at one of his concerts.
One of Brooks’ fellow country singers tapped into that emotional energy to deliver a jaw-dropping cover of “The Dance.” He was relatively unknown at the time, but would one day go on to win a little show called American Idol.
That artist was none other than Scotty McCreery, who was still a teenager when he stepped up on stage and sang one of the most brilliant renditions of “The Dance” that we’ve ever heard. He later sang an equally impressive version of the tune during an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry.
Since “The Dance” is such a beloved song, McCreery had some big shoes to fill when it came to his performance. But he proved that he was more than worthy of singing the song, and he did it justice. The crowd was so amazed by his voice that they all gasped the second he opened his mouth to sing.
For being so young at the time, McCreery displayed an incredible sense of confidence and command of the stage. He also did an excellent job at portraying the song’s complex emotions through his voice and actions, resulting in a chilling performance.
The only thing wrong with McCreery’s cover is the fact that it’s far too short! He didn’t sing the full song, but those couple of minutes were enough to show how talented he really is.
Tune in below to watch McCreery’s phenomenal cover of “The Dance.” Keep some tissues close, because you won’t be able to control your tears.
